Working in teams of two or more, all Stevens engineering students complete a capstone senior design project over their last two semesters, applying knowledge gained in the classroom to a major design project that in many cases meets a practical industry need. These projects cross virtually every academic discipline, from mechanical engineering to alternative energy to biomedicine to software innovation to technology management. Many are multi-disciplinary in nature.

The senior design project is the culmination of the undergraduate experience, allowing students to engage in a hands-on design process to provide a solution to a significant societal challenge, rather than pursue a purely academic goal. Many projects are sponsored by industry and many students are mentored by industry partners, providing on-the-job experience and teaching key soft skills like teamwork and professionalism.

The annual expo invites the Stevens community and guests to a showcase of undergraduate design activities. In addition to design projects, research posters and prototypes are on display from students in the various science programs.

“It’s incredibly inspiring to see our students executing challenging design projects to bring positive change to industry and society,” said Keith Sheppard, associate dean of Engineering and Science. Many have an entrepreneurial perspective and we are seeing an increasing number of undergraduates involved in patent disclosures based on the senior project work.”

This year, graduating seniors from every school within Stevens – the Schaefer School of Engineering and Science (SSE), the Howe School of Technology Management, the School of Systems and Enterprises (SSE) and the College of Arts & Letters (CAL) – will participate in the showcase.

“The inclusion of work from students of the College of Arts & Letters adds a stimulating dimension to the scope of the expo and showcases the impressive breadth of academic study here at Stevens,” Sheppard said.

Also for the first time, the senior project showcase will be combined in an all-encompassing research-focused event called the Stevens Innovation Expo. Senior projects will be on display in the afternoon, preceded by an academic colloquium featuring successful researchers and entrepreneurs, the Elevator Pitch and Project Plan Olympics, and a faculty research poster session.